Stone picker



July 17, 1951" 1.. E. KELLNER 5 L 7 STONE PICKEB Filed-vac; 28 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Lester E. Ke/lner 1 Inventor 17, 1951 E, KELLNER 2,561,207

STQNE PICKER Filed-Dec. 28. 1949 2 Shets-Sh9et 2 lu-ventor Lsfer E. keI/ner By (ma paw 3m Patented July 17, .1951

PiA'TENT F'Fl or:

.TSIQlIEiPICKER LesterjiE.iKellnemMerrjlLYWis.

rdnnlicatiqnlll cemher 28, IQQQrSerialNo;135 433 "tion,

An object of this "invention is-to provide an easily o rol ed grapplefo -1'ea'dv-" se-"w th'the hoisting'mechanismyof a conventional f arm ,implement.

.A further objectof the invention is toprovide an attachment for -a conventional farm implementh aving a hoisting mechanism for readyand easy engagementwith a 'large stone 'or 'otherobjeet for the lifting and removal of-thestone from the surface of tillableland.

*S till fin ther objects reside in-the provision of two embodiments --of;stone pickers each -o f--which is strong, -'durable,* h ighly efficient operation,

-simpleinconstnuction,easyto-manufacture,:easily actuated *by a conventional hoisting -mechanism, simple-to --operate and quite inexpensive.

The first -em-bodi-m-ent -of the invention comprises spaced pairs of' May tongs having lugssecured to the "bottom p ortion thereof {or engagement- -with -a stone brother object.

The other embodiment of the 'invention makes us ofonly'one pai-rpf lazy 'tongs'-but;ernploysthe concept of a pair of U-sha-ped-mem'bers fform-ing opposed pairs of legs for engagement --wit=h-*the stones orthelike.

The pri ecitedphiectstogether with the various ancillary objects-of-thei-nvention which will hccome apparent as -:-the following description proceeds, are attained by this device, :the :preferred embodiments ;of :which have ;-been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure lis a side elevationalview showing-the first preferred embodiment of the invention ,as actuated by a hoisting -mechanism of a -conventionalgfarm implement or machine;

yli'igure 2 is a pel'SpeCtiVaVieW of the .cmhQdimer t of the stone picker as-shown in Figure '11 'Figure 3- is a side elevational view of thesecond embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the second embodiment of the stone picker.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral i0 is used to generally indicate the first preferred embodiment of the invention. The stone picker ll] comprises spaced pairs of lazy tongs l2 and I4, the upper ends of which are pivotally connected to a suspension (Shaw-@119) :12 member; i6 whichhas a pulley wheel I8. suspended therefrom for a purpose to behenceforth .ex- -plainecl.

Bolted ,or otherwise securedto the bottomen'ds oft-he pa'irs of lazy'tongsdz and M areqpposed pairs of legs 2t each of which is formed withcan 'arcuate and inwardly extending grappling portions 32,2 :of suitable configuration. Reinforcing andconnectingtbars '24. andt'ldformed from angle ironare welded ;or otherwise secured to lthe'legs *20. 'nngleureinforcingconnecting bars-28 and'j29 are" terminally secured to "the lazy tongs f2 :and

f4. *Strapsd'fl and "32 having curvilinear portions '34 and .35 ,"respectively, are welded to one leg of each .Of thepairs of legs .and each .ar provide'd with a -stop-portion "38 ;and 4B for limiting the motion of the tongs "and to'preventthem from closing entirely.

'A- pair :of angle iron elbow members 42 and .44

arewelded ,or otherwise secured to the bars '24 and Z8 and .26 and'30, respectively. A chain 46 is securedtotheelbowmember 42 as isa chain 48 securedjito the elbow member 44. The chains and .48arcjoined by a. central ringfailto which ,issecured a chain .52 which engages the pulley wheel l8'and is-secured to the control mechanism of :a farmimplement generally designated by the reierencenumeral 54. "The connecting rod .16 is secured tothe'hoisting. mechanism of the implementifl.

In order-to operate thismechanism the device needmerely be positioned in engaging relationshipWi-th thestone. "Then, .thehoistingmedhanismmaybe raised which will cause theitongs to close and "close-the grappleportionszZZ of thellegs '20ftoen age 'abollt'the stone or other item to be lifted. '-'By;pulling on the chain 52 therebyreleasing'the -chain5'2 the legs 20 ma be controlled and *theseare thus selectively parted or allowed to come-almost together.

'"Referring-now to Figures '3 and 4 wherein v.is shown another -'form of the inventionjt will "be seen-that a'pair of tongs (Wis provided consisting or crossed and twisted pivotally connected arms 62, 64, B6 and 68. To the arms 66 and 68 there is welded or otherwise secured pairs of substantially U-shaped members comprising legs 12 and a central connecting portion M. The lower portions of the legs 12 are bent inwardly toward each other as at 16 to form grappling portions. Angle iron braces 78 are provided to rigidify the structure. Secured to the bottom portion of the arms 66 and 68 are angle iron L-shaped elbow members 80 and 82 to which chains 84 and 86 are connected. A central ring 88 connects the chains 84 and 86 together and connects links which are attached to the arms 62 and 64 to form the tong structure. Secured to the ring 88 is an additional chain 90 which is secured to a control mechanism on the farm implement. In this form of the invention the suspension member equivalent of the rod I6 comprises a ring 92 to which is attached a shackle 94 which is secured by a cable 86 to the hoisting mechanism of the farm machine, for operation similar to that of the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Since from the foregoing the construction and arrangement of these forms of stone picker are readily apparent, further description is believed to be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a careful consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise embodiments shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to which fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A stone picker comprising opposed pairs of lazy tongs, a suspension member pivotally connecting the upper ends of said pairs of lazy tongs in spaced relationship, pairs of grappling legs at the other end of said pairs of lazy tongs, connecting bars terminally rigidly connected to said pairs of lazy tongs, elbow members secured to said connecting bars medially thereof, and means secured to said elbow members supported by said suspension member for selectively actuating said stone picker.

2. A stone picker comprising opposed pairs of lazy tongs, a suspension member pivotally connecting the upper ends of said pairs of lazy tongs in spaced relationship, pairs of grappling legs at the other end of said pairs of lazy tongs, connecting bars terminally rigidly connected to said pairs of lazy tongs and extending therebetween, elbow members secured to said connecting bars medially thereof, and means secured to said elbow members supported by said suspension member for selectively actuating said stone picker, said means comprising a ring, means connecting said ring to each of said elbow members, and means connecting said ring to a lifting mechanism.

8. A stone picker comprising opposed pairs of lazy tongs, a suspension member pivotally connecting the upper ends of said pairs of lazy tongs in spaced relationship, pairs of grappling legs at the other end of said pairs of lazy tongs, connecting bars terminally rigidly connected to said pairs of lazy tongs, elbow members secured to said connecting bars medially thereof, and means secured to said elbow members supported by said suspension member for selectively actuating. said stone picker, said means comprising a ring, a chain connecting said ring to each of said elconnecting bars, and means secured to said el- .bow members supported by said suspension member for selectively actuating said stone picker.

5..A stone picker comprising a pair of tongs, a suspension member secured to the upper end of said pair of tongs, leg means at the other end of said pair of tongs said leg means comprising substantially U-shaped members having two pairs of downwardly extending legs and a central connecting member, said central connecting member being secured to said pair of tongs, connecting bars terminally rigidly connected to said pair of tongs, elbow members secured to said connecting bars, and means secured to said e1- bow members supported by said suspension member for selectively actuating said stone picker, said means comprising a ring, means connecting said ring to each of said elbow members. and means connecting said ring to a lifting mechanism.

6. A stone picker comprising a pair of tongs, a suspension member secured to the upper end of said pair of tongs, leg means at the other end of said pair of tongs, said leg means comprising substantially U-shaped members having two pairs of downwardly extending legs and a central connecting member, said central connecting member being secured to said pair of tongs, connecting bars terminally rigidly connected to said pair of tongs, elbow members secured to said connecting bars, and means secured to said elbow members supported by said suspension mem-, her for selectively actuating said stone picker, said means comprising a ring, a chain connecting said ring to each of said elbow members, and a chain connecting said ring to a lifting mechanism. LESTER E. KELLNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 490,866 Fitzsimmon Jan. 31, 1893 730,669 Lotz June 9, 1903 1,009,760 Loreman Nov. 28, 1911 1,129,356 Madill Feb. 23, 1915 1,369,963 Carlson Mar. 1, 1921 1,782,326 Tornquist Nov. 18, 1930 2,011,127 Tail et al. Aug. 13, 1936 

